LCMS Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 2023, Page 113

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Dear friends, my case involves wasting taxpayer money and
reallocating scant resources away from actual crimes and
towards thought crime. And this is happening across Europe.
Finland’s criminal justice system and laws about incitement
are similar to those of most other countries in Europe. But it is
strange that we have gone so far in Finland. Nowadays it is
politically incorrect to say anything negative about for example
gender ideology or to defend the human rights of unborn
babies.
Last spring, the Finnish parliament passed the “Trans Act,”
which means that individuals can legally change their legal
gender by self-declaration alone without changing the gender
expression or even the name. The legal gender is removed from
medical research and biology. Unfortunately, we lost the vote.
I am worried about the fact that most MPs in Finland are in
favour of applying the transgender law to minors. I am
concerned that minors with mental health problems will
change their gender too easily. Instead, I pleaded for mental
help to treat gender dysphoria for these people, but my
proposals were rejected.
Defending the life of unborn children has been my top priority
as an MP. It was the reason I went into politics. Finland’s
abortion legislation is very liberal, and it does not allow doctors
to act according to their own conscience and convictions in
cases of pregnancy termination.
In the past decades I have involved in several rigorous public
value debates. Ten years ago, when I was Finland’s interior
minister I spoke at a Lutheran event about Christian values,
abortion and marriage and argued that we should have the
courage to act contrary to public opinions or norms and
sometimes even the law if these contradict the Word of God.
“We must obey God rather than men.”
Over 40 complaints about my speech were made to the
Parliamentary Ombudsman, accusing me of inciting to break
the law. The Parliamentary Ombudsman ruled, however, that
these comments are a matter of my religious freedom. In a
democratic country, we must have the possibility to disagree
about controversial issues. Otherwise, the development is
towards a totalitarian system.
I am prepared to defend freedom of expression and faith at all
necessary levels of justice, even, if necessary, before the
European Court of Human Rights.
For me, the victory we achieved in the District Court would
have been adequate, but the acquittals of the higher courts
have a broader significance. The extension of the trial will allow
the establishment of legal precedent on freedom of expression
and faith from even a higher court. This would then serve as a
legal guide regarding any similar charges in the future. I firmly
hope no one else will be subject to similar accusations in the
years to come.
We are living at a time when the effect of Christian culture to
the society is narrowing. The breaking of the Christian

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worldview is visible whether we think of the protection of life
at the very beginning or at the end of life or defending marriage
as a union between man and wife. The battle between values is
largely fought with language, by capturing the concepts like
love, freedom, equality, and even rainbow in new interpretations.
This four-year process with all the investigations,
interrogations and court sessions has in practice narrowed
freedom of faith and free speech by creating self-censorship.
Sadly, many young people have told me that they are afraid
they are labelled as a Bible-believing Christian, and that it will
hinder their career and social acceptance.
If we do not now use our right to speak freely, the space to use
our rights will eventually get even smaller. The more we keep
silent about the teachings of the Bible on the painful issues of
our time, the more powerful is the rejection. We are especially
called to stand firm in those parts of the Scriptures which
challenge the current ethos and thinking.
Martin Luther handled the issue of “consequences of faith”
aptly: “If you believe, you speak. If you speak, you must suffer.
For faith, confession and Cross belong together and are the part
of a true Christian.”
Warning the Thessalonians about difficult times, apostle Paul
gave them an exhortation (2 Thess. 2:15): “Stand firm and hold
fast to the teachings we passed on to you.”
I feel privileged to have this calling and honor to defend the
foundational rights and everlasting biblical values. I am happy
to fight together with such a brave and wise bishop, Juhana
Pohjola. I trust that the entire process is in God’s hands and that
this all has a purpose. I pray that this process would still open
chances to testify about Jesus and the message of the Gospel in
public. There were several live broadcasts and press
conferences from the courthouse to Finnish homes, and I had
many chances to tell what the solution to the problem of sin in
the Word of God is. I have been so glad about the thousands of
messages I have received from Finland and abroad, in which
people have told how God has through this case encouraged
them to pray and trust God’s Word. I want to thank you all, dear
Lutheran friends, for support and prayers.
As we prepare for the proceedings at the Court of Appeal with
our legal team, I am thankful for all the people who stand with
me and Bishop Juhana and keep this case in prayer.
Queen Esther was encouraged to speak up and act on behalf of
God’s people, the Jews, with the question: “And who knows,
you may have been chosen to your royal position for just such a
time as this.” The same question can be asked from us today.
We have not ourselves chosen the time in which we live. But
exactly for such a time as this you were born to love your
neighbors, to act when seeing injustice, and to hold up the
Gospel.
I wish you all courage and blessing. Thank you for your
attention!

PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2023 (68TH) LCMS CONVENTION | 113